Index tab



Nov. 4 1924.

J. H. RAND INDEX TAB Filed May 2,

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Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

7 JAMES H. RAND, OF NORTH 'I'ONAWANDA, NEW YORK.

INDEX TAB.

Application filed May 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. RAND, citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara andState of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in IndexTabs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to index tabs for cards, and consists in thenovel and improved features hereinafter described andparticularlypointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate certain embodiments of theinven- -tion Fig. 1 is a front view of a preferred form of the indextab;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar cross section of the'tab applied to a thinner card;

.Fig. 4 is a cross section of a modification;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of a further modification; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are "diagrams hereinafter explained, illustrating themanner in which the tab conforms to cards of vary-ingthickness.

The card 1 may be itself a record card, orit may be a guide or dividercard such as is commonly placed between groups of folders or otherindexed matter, and may be of usual form and material.

The index tab is made of a stri of sheet material, preferably sheetcelluloi or some other transparent, resilient material, doubled uponitself to form a front leaf 2 and a real --ieaf 3. The interior of thisdoubled strip constitutes a pocket adjacent the fold 4 and between thefront and back leaves, adapted to receive a removable index slip 5 onwhich may be inscribed a name, numbers, letters or other suitableindexing characters. The fourth side of the pocket is defined by theupper edge of the'card 1, when the tab is applied to the card ashereinafter explained. The pocket is open at each end to permit theinsertion and removal of the index slip 5.

Both leaves 2 and 3 are similarly bent in a rearward direction alonglines 6 and 7 running widthwise of the tab and substantially.

1921. Serial No. 466,133.

made of textile fabric or'other suitable material having a gummedsurface by which the bent over margins 10 and 11 of the two leaves arecemented to opposite sides of the card.

In applying the tabto the card the gummed attac ing strips 8 and 9 aremoistened and the edge of the card'l is inserted between them until theedge of the card comes against the bend 6 of the front leaf. The bend 6acts as a stop for the edge of the card and so positions the tab on thecard and determines the extent of. the projection of the tab beyond theedge of the card. The attaching strips 8 and 9 may project beyond theedges of the leaves as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, to insure a more secureattachment;

or the attaching strips may lie wholly within the area of the leaves ofthe tab as shown in Fig. 5. r In the latter case it will be desirablestrip 5, which is displayed through the transparent'tab, in a convenientposition for reading from the view point of the user which is normallyabove the index.

The fold 4, is preferably rounded so as to space the front and rearleaves 2 and 3 I far enough apart to form a pocket of suit able depthfor the index slip 5. The rounded fold 4 also forms a bow spring adaptedto press the two leaves togeth'er and hold the free margins of theleaves against the card with considerable pressure thus contributing tothe firm attachment of the tab especially while the cement is setting.

The resiliency of the sheet material of the tab also permits the tab tobe applied to cards of different thicknesses with its bent free marginslying flatwise or parallel to the surfaces of the card. By way ofillustration, the diagram of Fig. 6 shows the tab applied to a card 1 ofthe same thickness as the spacing of the leaves adjacent the fold 4; thediagram of Fig. 7 shows the tab applied to a card 1 of less thicknessthan the spacing of the leaves adjacent to the fold 4; and the diagramof Fig. 8 shows the tab applied to a card 1 of greater thickness thanthe spacing of the leaves adjacent to the fold 4. In each instance whilethe front and back walls of the (pocket may be parallel, or converge, oriverge, as the case ma be, the free bent margins are parallel an lieflat against the card. The structure of Fig. 3 difi'ers from that ofFigs. 1 and 2 in that the tab is a lied to a thinner card. The structureof ig. 4 differs only in that the bends 6 and 7 are nearer the fold 4,thus producing a lower tab projection and a narrower pocket, which maybe preferred for certain uses. And the structure of Fig. 5 differs inthat the attaching strips terminate at the edges of the leaves, and oneleaf is a little longer than the other for the reason already explained..The tabs may be made in any desired length and may be applied to thecards by the manufacturer and sold as a component part of the card tothe user. .The invention is peculiarly adapted however to be a plled bythe user to cards which he may a ready have in use in an existing index.When used for this purpose the folded tab structure may be made and soldin lengths of any desired extent, adapted to be cut up by the user intoshorter lengths or sections according to the lateral width of the tabdesired. To attach the tabto a card the user has merely to moisten thegummed attaching strip and apply it as shown to the edge of the carduntil it comes to a stop with the edge of the card against the bend 6,which determines the correct positionin of the tab in a. verticaldirection on the card. 4

I claim: The combination with the straightedge of a card, of arearwardly inclined index tab comprising a strip of transparentsheetcelluloid doubled upon itself, the two leaves of tne doubled striptending to spring toward each other, the interior of the doubled. stripadjacent its foldforming with the strai ht edge of the card anunobstructed pocket or an index slip disposed wholly beyond the edge ofthe card, and an attaching strip cemented to the inner surface of thefree margin of each of the two leaves of the doubled strip, saidattaching strips being in turn ce-- mented to opposite sides of the cardadjacent its said strai ht edge, both leaves of the doubled strip beingsimilarly bent in a rearward direction along lines extending widthwiseof the tab, the bends being substantially in register with said straightedge of the card and the. bend of the front leaf engaging said straightedge of the card and acting as a stop to determine the position of thetab with relation to said straight edge.

Signed by me :at Boston, Mass, this 29th day of April, 1921.

JAMES H. RAND.

